Rubilen Amit regains world 10-ball title after big fightback against Kelly Fisher

RUBILEN Amit stamped her class as one of the best women’s players in the world following a thrilling come-from-behind win over Kelly Fisher, 10-7, to regain the Yalin Women’s World 10-Ball Championship Monday night.

Wildly cheered by a supportive hometown crowd at a makeshift billiards hall at the Newport Mall in Pasay City, Amit won the final three racks of the race-to-10 finals to capture back the title she first won during the inaugural staging of the event in 2009.

“It’s heaven,” Amit said moments after the nerve-wracking win that saw her claimed the top prize worth $21,000.

“I feel wonderful. I’m blessed with this people in the crowd,” added the Filipina, who became the first double champion of the tournament pitting the best women pool players around the world.

Amit, out of University of Santo Tomas, won despite committing several miscues midway in the match and after trailing 0-2 early on.

But a spectacular shot in the third rack finally got the many-time Southeast Asian Games gold medal winner going.

A difficult two-rail shot across table to pocket the 9-ball had Amit finally barging in the scoreboard. “Kung hindi ko napasok ‘yun, 3-0 na ako,” she later admitted.

Amit committed two more crucial miscues after, almost costing her the game.

In the eighth rack, the Filipina scratched on the final ball, turning what could have been a 5-3 lead to a 4-4 tie instead, that momentarily stopped the celebration of the boisterous crowd.

She also missed on the 10-ball during the 10th rack that gave Fisher a 6-4 lead halfway through the match.

Continue reading below ↓

Then Fisher began to unravel at a time when Amit started making her shots.

The British missed on the 10-ball in the 12th rack that tied the match at 6-6.

Fisher, last year’s champion, also lost her turn when she converted a five-ball on the corner pocket instead of the side -- a clear violation of the rule since 10-ball is a call shot game -- giving Amit the lead at 8-7.

Fisher then scratched as Amit reached hill.

Despite a spectacular jump shot at the three-ball, Fisher once again missed on the eight completely, allowing Amit to convert the final three balls for the win.